The term automation device is understood to be a device that processes a control program for controlling a process. Such devices are frequently known as programmable logic controllers (PLC) or controllers, or soft PLC. An automation device can be of modular construction and have a programmable central unit and intelligent modules that undertake individual automation functions, for example, weighing, axes control, closed-circuit control etc.. To connect to a communication network used to exchange data with other components of an automation network, such as network components or field units or other automation devices, an additional module, known as a communication processor, can be provided. Several automation devices participating in an automation project and networked with each other via a communication network are known as an automation system.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,625 A, a programmable logic controller is known that has a web interface for communication via the Internet or intranet. In this way, a client/server system was created that offered operators a similar user-friendly user interface as general access services in the web. The web is a network of documents, also known as pages and stored on server computers distributed throughout the world. Normally a page contains text, multimedia offerings, such as graphic images, video or audio data as well as Hypertext links to other documents. A browser enables the user to read the pages and interactively select from the possibilities offered on the page. The browser is a graphics program that transmits the Internet requests to a page and displays information which are available on the page. The web interface integrated into the programmable logic controller enables a user to call up and display the operating data of the programmable logic controller by means of a browser. The operating data can be data on control configurations, process data such as input and output values, register states, statistical data, diagnostic data or configuration data of input-output interfaces. To operate and monitor the automation device with a Human Machine Interface (HMI), a remote computer with an Internet connection and a browser, for example Navigator from Netscape Communications or Internet Explorer from Microsoft, is sufficient.